Like Jess, Like Eliza
by JessicaRenee026
Summary: Based on Worth Everything, also by me. Jess as a single father,...and his daughter...COMPLETE..FINISHED 6.01.06 Review Please!
1. 1

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza Author: Hadlee May Summary: Based on Worth Something. 16 years of life with a single father (Jess) and his daughter (Eliza) 1/? Disclaimer: My attempts to stake a claim on Gilmore Girls, and Milo, have failed, so no. Not Mine!! I do own, Eliza and her friends, though.  
AN: This is the prologue. I said I was going to write it, and it seems as though I've committed myself to it. LOL. It seems, I guess, that I'm really good at one shots, so I'm going to try out the whole chapter thing. Wish me luck. Review, please. LOL. If something needs worked on, let me know. I appreciate anything that anyone has to say. Plus, good stuff makes me heart soar. LOL. Anyways, I don't expect much from this prologue, since it's the beginning, and explains how everything happens. Yeah, I hope it gets better with each chapter, but right now, it's hard to do an emotional pov, so, review, and it'll get better. : )  
-Hadlee  
  
Prologue  
  
He had returned without warning, driving his beaten up Sedan down the empty, even though it was eight o'clock, streets of Stars Hollow. He parked in front of Luke's, not caring if he hindered any traffic flow that would happen to come by. He looked roughed. He hadn't shaved in days, and his hair was unwashed, his body unclean. He was rambling to himself in a crazy fashion, and Luke was the first in Stars Hollow to notice. Seeing the car stop in front of the diner door, Luke put his angry face on, throwing a rag down on the counter and stalked towards the door, in his mind, preparing an angry speech about running away with Rory, not calling. Everyone was worried, they didn't know where she was, who she was with. He wouldn't mention that the town thought that Jess, who had been seen with her last, had kidnapped her. Despite the thoughts bouncing around in his mind, he saw the condition his nephew was in, and he froze.  
  
The distinct cry of a baby was heard outside from the back of the car and Luke immediately understood. He opened the door for Jess, watched him walk in, then opened the back door and carefully lifted the enfant out of her car seat and followed Jess in the diner. The baby girl's eyes were quenched tightly, her fists balled. Her feet kicked and moved in aggravation, the feeling of Luke's touch unfamiliar.  
  
Jess was pacing inside the diner and cringed when Luke brought her crying inside. "She wont stop, Uncle Luke." Jess explained, his voice cracking, I've tried everything. Changing, feeding, pacing, rocking, stuffed animals, letting her lay on my chest." He had tears in his eyes.  
  
"Jess, have you taken her to a doctor?" Luke asked. Jess shook his head. Luke nodded, cuddling the still noisy baby against his chest. With a sigh, Luke walked behind the counter, "I'm going to call Lorelai." He decided aloud: Lorelai would know what to do. Lorelai was a mother, she'd raised Rory. Luke's thoughts were lost when Jess slammed his hand down on the counter, loud enough to make his daughter cry louder.  
  
"No, Uncle Luke, no one else can know." He looked panicked and Luke understood.  
  
"This baby is Rory's too, isn't she?" He asked. Jess looked down and nodded, slightly embarrassed by it.  
  
"I don't know where she is. I-" Jess froze, realizing that he was doing something with Luke he had never done before. Telling him the truth, confiding in him. It felt good, so he continued, "I went to the hospital…to…to pick them up and she was gone. The nurses said she'd left last night. Then they handed me her, and,"  
  
"When?" He asked.  
  
"Two weeks ago, she'll be two weeks old tomorrow" Luke didn't ask any questions. He just picked up the phone and dialed Lorelai's number and this time Jess didn't protest, sitting sullen on one of the stools that was placed at the counter. Luke dialed his girlfriend's number. There was no hellos. Lorelai heard the baby and didn't let Luke speak. Jess could hear her scream "BABY" all the way from the other side of the counter. Jess couldn't help but smirk, Lorelai would never change. Suddenly the notion but fear in him. Lorelai didn't like him anyways, what would she do to him now? Handing Jess the baby, Luke too his phone call in the back, wanting his phone call to be private. Jess breathed in deep, rocking his baby softly, humming to her, even though it wouldn't be heard over her loud cries.  
Luke's re-entrance went unnoticed, Jess's attention purely focused on the baby in his arms. Luke spoke to get his attention: "What's her name, anyways?" Jess smiled slightly, something rare for him.  
"Eliza," Hesitation, then, "Ghanima Eliza" He said it so simply, and Luke didn't question it, guessing Jess had decided to name the baby on his own after Rory had disappeared.  
  
"She stopped crying." Luke noticed.  
  
"It wont last long" Jess commented. It never had.  
  
"Lorelai is on her way over. She knows everything." Luke said. Jess sat silently, thankful that he didn't have to explain everything dealing with Eliza's birth to Lorelai, who was probably ready to ring his neck, anyways. There were a few minutes of silence before it was interrupted by Lorelai entering the diner.. She took one look at the baby and snickered.  
  
"She looks just like you. Lucky for her." She spoke, taking her grand daughter out of Jess's arms before asking. Jess said nothing, letting her do what she wanted. The older Gilmore cooed and cuddled the baby, who had been quiet for the longest time in three days. Finally, she turned back to him. "So how long are you staying." Jess's answer was a shrug, which meant that he was probably going to stay for a while.  
  
END CHAPTER  
  
AN: It's finished, for now. Expect Chapter 1 out soon, REVIEW PLEASE! 


	2. 2

Like Jess, Like Eliza, part 2

Disclaimer: In the first chapter, I'm not gonna put one at the beginning anymore...just because I don't feel like it. Okay, anyways, yeah, disclaimer in first chapter.

AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I was waiting for an idea to hit me. LOL. It hit me alright, right between my damn eyes!! I hope you like it. I think I'm getting a pattern here. Eliza screams and cries too much, but I was informed I cried and whined for the first three years of my life non stop. If you'd ask my mom, she'd say I still whine more than most normal human beings…Maybe I'm not human. Anyways….This is year 1. Eliza is a year old and her and Jess are living with Luke in Stars Hollow. Enjoy and Review. I'll remind u at the end of the chapter I don't give up. This wont be as long as the prologue. My knowledge of babies runs dry after the actual birth. I'm better when they can talk.  
Oh, and if my works have a lack of contractions and "there are"'s starting the sentence, don't blame me, blame my English teacher, I'm not aloud to write essays that have them. -Hadlee May  
  
Chapter 1  
  
This was not how Jess Mariano had expected to spend the day. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair, in the cold confines of a sterile hospital waiting room. His mind racked with the thoughts of all possibilities that could be going on behind those two swinging doors that led to where his year old daughter was, being tended to by a doctor who, Jess hoped, knew what he was doing. His daughter was sick. For the first time in his life, he had no idea what he was doing. What could he do. The precious life that had been the only constant thing he'd allowed to stay in his life was near death and he couldn't think for the life of him what to do.  
  
It had been Lorelai's suggestion for him to take her to the hospital. He'd been to the family doctor twice, being brushed off saying it was baby flu, something all toddlers got at that age.  
  
She'd gotten worse instead of better.  
  
"Mr. Mariano?" The sound of a stern voice interrupted his thought process. He stood up frantically, his hand shaking a little bit. "Hi, I'm doctor Murray. I was attending to your daughter." He introduced. Jess shook his hand, his palm sweaty. The doctor didn't flinch. Dr. Murray had seen stuff like this on, almost, a daily basis for the past twenty years.  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" Jess asked.  
  
"Fine, Mr. Mariano. It seems that your daughter has an allergy to whatever your home doctor gave you. It's a common practice. Some things she's allergic to wont show up for year."  
  
"She'll be okay. She had the flu, and with the penicillin in her system, her body went crazy." He explained. Jess nodded his head. "We're going to keep her in observation for a few more hours…to see if the stuff we gave her takes…You're aloud to see her whenever you like." He said. Jess thanked the doctor and sat back down.  
  
"I better call Lorelai." He decided after a moment. The cell phone he'd left off during the ordeal was turned back on and he dialed the woman who'd been treating him like family for the year he'd come back, a single father, Rory's daughter in tow. "She's fine." He stated when she picked up the phone. Lorelai sighed in relief on the other side. She'd wanted to come along, but the dragonfly was over crowded , a conference going on, and she'd been obligated to stay.  
  
Jess hadn't minded going alone, it gave him time to think, despite the thoughts he'd had weren't exactly the best. Four hours in a hospital, so far, had done him good, and he'd learned something: for the rest of his life, this was it. Hours of waiting room sitting, uncomfortable folding chairs at school functions, small desks and plastic chairs when he met with teachers.  
  
In the year she'd been there, he hadn't thought much about life's changes. He had a daughter. She slept, he slept. She cries and wakes, he cries and wakes up. It had become second nature to him. The thought of tomorrow had never been etched into his brain. Not until now.  
  
After he hung up with Lorelai, he had a nurse direct him to his daughter.  
  
He cringed at the sight of her. So tiny, connected to wires. Her eyes were closed, peacefully sleeping, none of the obtrusive appendages slighting her in the least. He smiled touching her miniature hand gently. "You better be okay, Eliza, or I will ring your little neck myself." He joked. He could almost hear a grunt coming from her. "My little girl." He mumbled.  
  
The doctor was true to his word. Eliza was released five hours later with, not a clean bill, but a slightly less messy one. He'd been given an antibiotic that she was supposed to take for the next few weeks. The hospital had faxed the local doctor, warning him of the baby's allergy. Things were right with the world as Jess strapped her into the car seat and he sat in the driver's seat and drove the thirty minutes back to Stars Hollow.  
  
There was a small gathering of people outside Luke's as he brought Eliza inside the diner. Luke gave him a smile, telling him not to worry about it. Jess slipped upstairs and went to put Eliza in her crib. She took this moment to awaken, looking up at him with her Gilmore baby blue eyes. She cooed for a moment before forming the small pronunciation, "Da" Jess grinned widely, a special smile he saved only for her.  
  
"Yeah, that's me, Da…" He whispered, "now go back to sleep, you need your rest." And she instantly closed her eyes, happy for permission. "Night Angel." He kissed her forehead and went to the other side of the apartment, picking up a book and beginning to read.  
  
AN2: Still not as long as the first one, I don't think. Including the first Author's note, it's 1000 words, so it might appear long, but it's not. I try my hardest to make sure that each chapter has at least a thousand words, which is why it takes so long for me to write. i get aggrivated with 6 line chapters, so I'm not gonna do it. It should get more interesting as it goes along. I've got the later years planned out.. Like age four, when she can start mocking the hell out of people (pardon my French). Yeah, so please Review. If you have any suggestions, as I believe I said in another one of my stories (it's an Angel the series story, but I'd love you if you read it.), I'm open to them. I love feedback, and love suggestions, it drives me, which is a good way for me to be. Please, please, please, please Review. I'll love you if you do…I'll love you if you don't, but less than if you did, so Please Do. I'd appreciate it. 


	3. 3

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza  
  
Author: Hadlee May  
  
Summary: In other chapters  
  
Disclaimer: GG is not mine.

AN: Sorry it took so long, I was like major sick...kidney infection...caused by the delightful CAFFEINE! Anyways, I Thought long and hard about this chapter, I wrote it, and it got deleted by the computer...I wrote it again, by my lap top broke...Finally, I wrote it here...Halloween chapter.

Enjoy, please...I do this for you, I'm hoping you guys would review...please...I like comments, whether they are bad or good. Please REVIEW!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"An elephant?" Jess dead panned, looking at Lorelai with an unreadable expression on his face. The older woman shrugged under his stare, un sure of what to say, giggles escaping, even though she tried hard not to. "An elephant? You want my daughter to be an elephant for Halloween?" He asked her. Lorelai's giggles had turned into full on laughing.  
  
"What's wrong with an elephant? It's cute." Lorelai nodded over to Eliza who was walking around the diner, entertaining customers, dressed in her costume, "and besides the fact that she likes it, she's a toddler," Lorelai sighed, "not many options for a toddler, unless you wanted tinkie winkie" At that moment, Luke walked in from the back of the diner, a plate in hand, hearing only the words tinkie winkie. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"I don't want to know." He stated walking by, Jess and Lorelai's eyes following him for a moment.  
  
"Everything's wrong with elephants." He turned his attention back to Lorelai. "All the other two year olds are going to be an elephant..." It came out as an unintentional pout, and this caused Lorelai to laugh even more.  
  
"All the others..." She cut herself off. "You're like a toddler, Jess...it's either this or we can own up to Zach and Brian's suggestion for a costume." Lorelai got serious.  
  
"Suggestion, what suggestion?" Jess asked, confused. Zach and Brian, though they being two of his best friends, thought the pair to be quite, well, slow at times. The two suggesting a costume for a two year old was almost funny, though, he worried.  
  
"Yeah, I believe it was...Tomie." Lorelai laughed.  
  
"Tomie, but she's..."  
  
"I think they were talking about the head..." Lorelai explained. Jess rolled his eyes. That was something Zach and Brian, more likely Brian, would suggest. The two liked Asian Horror films almost as much as they loved making music.  
  
"I can see that scenario ten years down the road...What was I, daddy? Oh, you were the head of Tomie, an evil demon girl who can regenerate herself..." He mocked a short conversation for Lorelai. After a moment of silence, he sighed, "elephant it is...let me get it off her before she gets it dirty." He sighed, walking over to his daughter who was currently entranced by something Kirk was doing with his food. "Come on Eliza, let's get you something pretty on, yeah?" He asked, lifting her off her feet. Kirk waved goodbye to her, grinning to see Eliza return the gesture. She might be the only Mariano that can stand you. Jess thought wryly as he headed up the steps to the upstairs apartment.  
  
Eliza, fully capable of streaking down to her diaper did so as Jess searched through a drawer for a dress. Turning around he found her dancing in front of the TV, shaking her bottom side to the routine that the, for some reason still on the network, purple dinosaur, Barney. He chuckled.  
  
"Come on, Big girl, time to get dressed." He stated and she screamed in fright, running from the living room to the kitchen, knocking over several of Luke's things as she did so. Jess groaned. "So this is the terrible two's." He spoke to her as he chased her around the table and into his bedroom. She had conveniently hid underneath his bed, the only clean area in the entire room. He got on his hands and knees and sweet coaxed her out from underneath, promising sweets and an entire day with Michel, whom she loved to play with during her days staying at the inn while Jess worked in Hartford.  
  
Catching her as she climbed out, he sighed, mumbling, "This better not last long, I can't do this everyday." She was calm as he slipped her yellow dress over her head. He didn't attempt putting her shoes on. She'd been all but excited to take off her shoes at random times. For fun, she hid them, forcing her father to go and buy new pairs several times a month.  
  
He cuddled her as they walked towards the apartment door. "I love you, even if you're being terrible." He told her walking down the steps and into the diner. Lorelai was now sitting at the counter, sipping out of a large coffee cup, while Luke was gruffly speaking to some customers he apparently didn't like. Jess rolled his eyes to see that it was Dean and Lindsay.  
  
Deciding to ignore them, he sat next to Lorelai. "How bad was Rory when she was two?" He asked. The subject was touchy for both him, and Lorelai, who'd had a long distance phone relationship with her daughter since Jess had arrived in town, Eliza in tow.  
  
"She was good, for the most part. Her terrible two's mostly consisted of streaking down the stairs at the hotel." Jess laughed at that. He was glad Eliza had obviously taken after him in the terrible two department. He wasn't sure he could handle Eliza streaking all over the diner for the town to talk about him being an unfit father.  
  
He set Eliza down, continuing small talk with Lorelai, who was eager for Halloween. "You're letting me go with the two of you right, because Chris is in town, and he's bringing Gigi..." Lorelai trailed off.  
  
"Yeah, tag her along, that way Eliza can impose her terribleness on someone new." Jess laughed.  
  
HALLOWEEN NIGHT  
  
Eliza looked like an Elephant like Angel, dressed in her costume. Lorelai had put some white makeup on her face, dabbing red face paint on her cheeks for good measure. She could have easily have been fooled as look a like for Dumbo. "She does look cute." Jess had complimented Lorelai nearly two hours ago, at the beginning of their night. She was holding the blonde three year old's hand tightly, for fear that she would run off. Something she had tried to several times since the night had begun.  
  
"Duh." Lorelai had smarmily responded as they came upon Taylor's driveway. Taylor, always in the mood for decorating for holidays, had somewhat slacked for Halloween, only a scarecrow sitting on his porch. Lorelai had explained last year that Taylor only participated because it made him look good. The old man wasn't much of a fan of all hallow's eve.  
  
Eliza, excited ran up to Taylor's door and started shouting his name. Jess and Lorelai laughed, following her up the driveway.  
  
Taylor opened the door with a large grin. He kept his grin as he handed both the children candy. "Thanks Taylor." Lorelai shouted as they started off towards home. The night had been fun, the kids loving the sound of candy falling into their pumpkin buckets...  
  
As the night ended, Jess thanked Lorelai for her company and headed back to the diner, which was, surprisingly decorated, thanks to Eliza's puppy dog eyes, and Lorelai's persuading.  
  
He wasn't surprised to find Luke not there. His uncle spent a lot of time at Lorelai's, even when Chris stopped by. There was, of course, rivalry between the two, but they got along for Lorelai's sake, and didn't mind, really, hanging out together. They had grown to be quite competitive with a play station 2 game that Lorelai had bought for her own amusement.  
  
"You ready for bed, kid?" Jess asked as they entered the apartment. Of course, Eliza shook her head. Jess, though, wasn't up for arguments, and took her to the bathroom, gently wiping off the face make up and changing her from the elephant suit to her pajamas, which had been laid out earlier.  
  
Laying her down in bed, Jess smiled at his daughter. "Can you read to me?" Eliza asked. Jess grinned wide and pulled a book out of his book shelf. Oliver Twist. It was one of Eliza's favorite books. He was sure he'd read it out loud hundreds of times to appease his daughter. He never minded.  
  
Reading lasted ten minutes before she finally drifted into sleep. Putting the book down, he stood up. For a few long moments, he stared at her. "I love you, Eliza." He whispered before leaving his bedroom and curling up on the couch, content. He fell asleep soon after.  
  
AN: Not so good, yeah? Sorry, it was a filler chapter....I'm contemplating whether or not I want to skip a year. I mean, it's going to be the same blah blah blah, no plot line.  
  
I had always planned to take Eliza and Jess to the city when she was four, but hadn't thought of a good reason... But I thought of one...Rory...She comes down to announce something...things happen, it's when Jess decides he can't live forever in Stars Hollow...yeah, anyways, should I just skip to chapter 4...or age 4?  
  
Let me know when you review...or email....either one.  
enjoy


	4. 4

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza  
  
Author: Hadlee May  
  
Summary: In the chapter before the last chapter  
  
Disclaimer: GG is not mine, the story is  
  
THANK YOUS: For the first time since I've been writing I'd like to thank the people who have reviewed....all the way back from worth everything...since it's a one parter and i don't plan on writing out a whole new chapter just for thank yous  
  
goldengirl736 , mugglewolf , controversyqueen, CaliforniaDreamer, Oelouge, Only-Soup-Cans-Need-Labels, and 4everweepingangel, MimmyCC

Smile 1: I like your suggestions, and decided to use one...I told my co-worker them, and she was nice enough to let me figure it out loud for myself...her saying stuff when it was necessary....Anyways, thanks for all your reviews.  
  
Alice Wonders: Thanks to you for getting this story going, without your suggestion, I would have never have thought and never would have spent my time pondering how a two year acts. Thank you neighbor. Now go back to singing along with your Franz Ferdinand ring tone.  
  
AN: Wow, two chapters in a two weeks period of time. Give me a prize, it's rare to happen...Anyways, I skipped a year, unable to think of another adventure for Jess and Eliza to embark upon. Desperate times call for desperate measures...I am putting Rory, temporarily into the mix...it was "emotional" for me to write, since, well, I like Jess, and hate seeing him troubled, so....enjoy.  
  
REVIEW PLEASE...  
  
Chapter 4: Age 4 .1.  
  
Mechanically, Jess made his way around the diner, tending to the morning customers, taking orders, serving plates of foods to hungry patrons, and refilling coffee mugs when asked. Close behind him, Eliza walked, her black hair in a messy ponytail, a small crayon behind her ear, a small notepad in her hand, mocking her father's actions as he spoke to customers. Jess, pretending to not notice the shadow following him around, grinned at the re-actions from customers.  
  
Shadowing people had become a favorite past time of Eliza's, just like last month, she'd only wanted to wear pink dresses, and refused to play with the Forester boys, who, despite Jess's aggravation, were her only friends.  
  
Jess had become used to her fazes, letting her go into and out of them as the months passed by, just like he had let her have her way during her faze of being a horror to the town of Stars Hollow. Luckily, she'd gotten over it, just what the town needed: a mini version of him.  
  
Grinning at Eliza, Mrs. Patty handed the girl a five dollar bill, and handed Jess what she had left of change. Groaning playfully, Jess lifted Eliza into his arms. "Stealing my tips, missy?" He asked playfully, sitting her on an empty stool as he pinned an order up for Ceaser. Eliza giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. Jess, sticking his tongue back out laughed. "You know what happens to little girls who steal my tips?" He asked. Eliza shook her head, her tongue still hanging out of her mouth. "They get tickled...That's what happens." Eliza squealed as Jess's fingers attacked her sides in frenzied motions, causing the four year old to wiggle on the stool, laughing uncontrollably.  
  
"Daddy!!!" She whimpered through her giggles. Luke watched on in amusement, before finally stepping in.  
  
"Jess, leave the poor kid alone and get back to work." Luke said gruffly, a smile playing on his face.  
  
Jess turned to pout at his uncle, his lower lip protruding, his eyes wide, as though he were going to cry, "But Uncle Luke, she stole my tips." This caused Luke to laugh, shaking his head.  
  
"She probably is working better than you, you think of that?" Luke teased. "Besides," He pinched Eliza's cheek playfully, "She's cuter than you will ever be." With that Luke spun around, getting a customer's order and Jess, letting Eliza off the stool, went back to his job, Eliza still following his movements carefully.  
  
In the commotion, neither noticed the petite brunette enter, then leave the diner after the display of affection.  
  
Jess and Eliza, mechanically, left the diner at 7:30. Eliza had the day with Lane, and Jess had to be at school (his first year at community college...he'd gotten his GED on Eliza's third birthday) by 8:30.  
  
It was funny how things changed in Stars Hollow. Nothing was ever big change, but it all mattered, like the odd friendship between Jess and Lane. After he'd come, stumbling into town, a baby in his arms, Lane had taken it upon herself to help out when she was needed. Work days were scheduled around when Lorelai could handle Eliza and days when Jess was either schooling in Hartford, or working in Hartford.  
  
He walked into Lane's apartment without knocking. Lane, Zach, and Brian were all sitting on the couch, watching the morning Disney cartoons. "Have fun with Lane and the guys, I'll be back before dinner." He told her.  
  
"OKee, Daddy." She told him. "Kiss." She told him. Jess happily obliged, meeting his daughter for a wet, playful kiss on the lips.  
  
"Bye Eliza." He told her setting her down.  
  
"Bye Jess." Lane's voice could be heard from the couch. He watched Eliza make her way to the three room mates, climbing on Zach's lap, her attention grabbing onto the television program. Smiling, Jess left the apartment without a word and made his way to his car, and then to Hartford, where he spent most of his day, classes and work.  
  
As promised, though, he was home before dinner time. At least dinner time according to Luke's clock. Entering the apartment at 6:30, Lane, Brian, Zach, and Eliza were munching down on frozen pizza, oven baked.  
  
"Daddy!!!" She slammed her slice back onto the plate, pushing her chair back and ran to him, hugging his legs. "Daddy!!! We had so much fun!! We went to the book store, than the cd store, then we went to..." Her experiences of the day went on and on, though the last sentence caught Jess's ear, "we had lunch at Luke's, and I got to meet grandma's daughter."  
  
"Grandma's daughter, huh?" Jess murmured to himself, lifting Eliza into his arms, not sure how to react to that statement. His first thought was that she was four, and she could have meant something else. Eliza was intelligent, with a large vocabulary, and spoke a mile a minute. Her words, though, were sometimes still mixed up.  
  
He looked at Lane, who looked down at her plate, not sure how to say what she was thinking.  
  
"Rory's back?" He asked her. Lane nodded.  
  
"No one knew she was coming, she just sort of showed up...I would never have...Eliza...you know how she is...always friendly..." Lane was rambling.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Lane...I got to get home, Eliza's show comes on in half an hour." He stated and Lane nodded, watching the two leave her apartment building in silence.  
  
Outside, Eliza was rambling out questions one by one, all of the pertaining information about Rory. Jess felt a sudden urge to bottle everything inside him, to fuss at Eliza for even mentioning the woman he unconsciously, without thought, held a grudge against. But, then he remembered the promise he'd made himself...no being mean, quiet Jess. What could a few answered questions hurt?  
  
Instead of going to Luke's, like normally would after picking Eliza up, he went to the small apartment, nearly a block away from the diner.  
  
Like Clockwork, him and Eliza sat in front of the television for their weekly dose of Lizzie McGuire, a re run, before he gave her a bath and tucked her into bed. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and knew tomorrow was going to be a long day.  
  
.2.  
  
Luke's was busy every morning, and Jess was there when it opened daily, a sleeping Eliza, still clad in her pajamas. Today was no different. He moved upstairs to lay her down before coming back down to help Luke open, moving chairs off the top of tables, turning on machines, refilling salt and pepper shakers, making sure all the batter was ready for use.  
  
By 6:30, the entire crew was here, including Lane, who brought Zach along with her. It was a holiday week...one of Taylor's crazy made up holidays that sent the town into a holiday happiness like frenzy. On weeks like this, all the help possible was needed. That help was usually Zach or Brian, who spent as much time in the diner as Lane did.  
  
None spoke as the sign was flipped to open and they awaited their customers.  
  
The first two hours passed by quickly. Around nine, they were greeted by the presence of Lorelai who shot Jess a sympathetic look before begging her husband, and the father of her eight month year old son, William, for coffee. It was funny, in Stars Hollow, how things changed, but some things would never change. Jess was continuously noticing the little things, now that he knew Rory was back.  
  
"Morning Jess." Lorelai said as Luke filled her coffee.  
  
"Morning Lorelai..." He said, using the same teasing tone that she had used with him.  
  
"You want to go upstairs and hide or something, Rory should be hear in like ten minutes...she was showering when I left." Jess just stared, remembering the showers back in New York, before Eliza had been born. Their run down apartment was not only known for it's rat population, but it's lack of good water heating... The shower had been small, but in the first few months of living in the apartment, Rory and him had spent passionate moments in the shower, kissing, touching, feeling. Hearts racing, coinciding with the beating of the water against bare skin.  
  
Jess immediately snapped out of his daze. "Should I?" He asked. Lorelai shrugged "I gotta wake up Eliza anyways," He said. "Luke, I'm going on break." He told his uncle heading upstairs. Entering the apartment, he caught sight of an already awake Eliza, who's eyes were glued on some video she'd put in herself.  
  
"Morning Daddy." She spoke as she saw him enter the apartment.  
  
"Morning Eliza..." He said...then, "how about you get dressed and we do something today?" He asked her. She shrugged. Something she'd learned from him...along with her occasional "huh".  
  
"Can we stay in the diner for a while...Rory said she might stop by." Jess grinned at the way she said Rory "Rawry."  
  
"That's fine." He choked out.. "Let's get you dressed." He said. She nodded and went into Jess's room where he had stashed some of her clothes for when they stayed over some nights. She was quick to pick out a light blue sun dress. She put it on herself, opting to go shoeless. She ran down the steps to greet the diner people, Jess hot on her trail.  
  
Almost on cue, Rory Gilmore entered the diner. Eliza happily greeted her. For a moment, Jess wondered if Rory had mentioned whom she really was...the missing mother that Eliza mentioned from time to time, asking where she was. He then realized it was unlikely that she would have said anything...not without Jess's permission, at least.  
  
"Hey." Jess said, standing in front of her.  
  
"Hey." Rory replied, looking down at her shoes.  
  
"Coffee?" Jess asked, he turned from her and walked behind the counter.  
  
"Of course." He spoke quietly. Jess put a cup on the counter and filled it to the brim. "She's big." Rory said, looking at Eliza who was, one again shadowing...this time Lane.  
  
"Four years does that to someone." He deadpanned.  
  
"Jess." She started, but stopped when he shook his head. "We should talk." She stated. Jess shrugged his shoulders and wondered off to take a customer's order, occasionally seeking out Eliza's whereabouts. With Rory's sudden return, he suddenly feels worry for his daughter, who cluelessly was now sitting next to Rory, talking the older girl's ear off. Lorelai's eyes met Jess's and he sighed.  
  
Thirty minutes later, he found himself in Luke's apartment, pacing with Rory sitting on the couch, watching him helplessly, afraid to say anything.  
  
"Why'd you do it?" Jess asked suddenly. Rory looked startled at the question.  
  
She stuttered, unsure how to answer the question. After moments of silence, she sighed, "I wasn't ready, Jess...I had so much in my , family..."  
  
"Like I was ready for single fatherhood...I spent three nights with her while she cried non stop. I was nearly twenty one and I had never held a baby before her."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"No, Rory..." He groaned.  
  
"Why'd you come back?" He asked.  
  
"My mom, Luke, William...I had no idea you lived in Stars Hollow..." She sighed.  
  
"That's great." He muttered. Conversation dwelled to a stop and Jess, aggravated, left the apartment, in search of Eliza, who he found giggling helplessly while being pushed on the swing by Zach.  
  
"Hey man." Zach said.  
  
"Hey." Jess replied.  
  
"Go well?"  
  
"Over-statement." Jess laughed shortly. Zach nodded knowing not to pry.  
  
"Look, if you need us to watch her tonight or something, it's cool." Zach said. Jess nodded. Zach said his goodbye to Eliza before leaving her with Jess who took Zach's place behind the swing. He'd been up six hours, and so far...the day was the longest one he'd had in his entire life.  
  
.3.  
  
At the Gilmore residence, Rory grinned as the door bell rang. She greeted her boyfriend with a welcoming kiss, which he gladly returned. As she pulled away, he touched he slightly bulging stomach with a smile in his eyes.  
  
At the diner, Jess sat on the stool as he stared around the empty diner. Eliza was beside him, coloring in an old power rangers coloring book Liz had found when she was going through boxes a few weeks ago. It was seven thirty and the diner was closed thanks to a small dinner being held in Rory's honor at eight.  
  
Looking at the clock, he realized that Luke's dinner party would be arriving soon and he made way to clean and push a few tables together. By the time 7:50 rolled around, it was set up and Rory, along with Luke, Lorelai, William, and a guy he didn't know, came into the restaurant.  
  
Seeing people, Eliza rushed up to them, greeting them. "Good evening, welcome to Luke's." She said. Lorelai laughed, ruffling up her black hair. The unidentified male got down, crouching on Eliza's level and smiled.  
  
"Hi, I'm Logan." He said.  
  
"I'm Ghanima Eliza Mariano." She stated matter of factly.  
  
"Ghanima? Like in the dune books? Did your mommy like those books?" He asked.  
  
Eliza shrugged. "I don't have a mommy." She hugged onto Jess's legs, who looked at Rory's face, which crumpled in pain at the statement. He was sure that Rory was wondering if that's what Jess had really told her, though she said nothing.  
  
"Oh." Logan stood up, mentioning to Lorelai that Eliza had pretty eyes. Lorelai nodded, grinning at Jess.  
  
"Well, we better get going, I promised Zach I'd stop by." He lied. Lorelai cut him off.  
  
"Wait, Rory has this big announcement, I'm sure she can make it before you leave. I mean, you two used to be friends after all." Lorelai grinned.  
  
Jess pulled Eliza into his arms, but stayed still, waiting, watching Rory nervously grasp Logan's hand. "Well...We're Pregnant!!" She said happily, "I'M GOING TO BE A MOTHER!! ." She gushed. This earned hugs from Lorelai and Luke. She dropped another bomb shell almost instantly after, "and...we're engaged." She held out her hand, showing off her ring, all the while, not meeting Jess's gaze.  
  
Jess put a smile on his face, and gave Rory a one armed hug. "Congratulations, Ror...I hope you're ready for it." He hissed in her ear before leaving the diner, Eliza clasped tightly in his arms...  
  
.4.  
  
One can say that in times of panic, hurt, or anger, rash decisions can be made by an individual.  
  
After the news of Rory's pregnancy, Jess walked slowly to his apartment, thinking. Truth was, her pregnancy should have been a reason to celebrate. But after her "I'm going to be a mother" statement, his heart had fallen. It was almost an instantaneous, she'd forgotten about Eliza, and the year they'd spent in New York together.  
  
Suddenly, a place he'd begun to call home seemed to small for him. Knowing that Rory could pop up at any given time bothered him more than he liked, and as he entered the apartment, the answer came to him. "New York."  
  
He shared the news with Luke the next morning. "New York?" Luke had shouted, angry, but he understood. The day wore on slowly, and Eliza had found another victim to shadow at the moment. Rory, saying her good byes, dressed to impress, on her way back to New Haven, found Jess at the park, sitting on a swing set, slowly swinging back and forth, lost in thought.  
  
"I'm sorry Jess." She said, she caught his attention.  
  
"For what?" He'd asked.  
  
"All this. Eliza' is great. Seriously, she's out going, happy, friendly."  
  
"Just not good enough for you?" He asked bitterly.  
  
"Jess, you have no idea how much I love her...but...things have changed...I've grown, you've grown. She wouldn't want me." Rory said.  
  
"She wants a mother, she asks about you all the time." He stated. "A year from now, in kindergarten, on mother's day, she's going to have to sit out on activities because she doesn't have a mother, and when she asks about it. 'Why don't I have a mommy?'. What am I supposed to tell her?"  
  
"Jess, please."  
  
"Well, Eliza, you see, your mother didn't love me. Though she loved you...just not enough to stick around, Eliza. It didn't matter about you, or how much I loved her, she just left...and then she forgot about you completely. She has a happy family without you." He mocked a conversation, one he dreaded going into when the whole lack of mother thing actually started to register in Eliza's brain.  
  
"I did love you." She argued.  
  
"Doesn't matter now...Look, Eliza and I are fine, go on."  
  
"Bye..." She stepped away from him. He watched her go. It wasn't until she was gone that he let the tears that had be threatening to fall come down.  
  
That night he, like a drone, picked up Eliza and walked back to his apartment. Eliza, knowing her father's emotions were somewhat off, went to her room and colored quietly while he started packing their clothes. New York, beware, here they came.  
  
AN: That was it...Chapter 4...I think...this was a long one...3000 words, I'm proud of myself.  
Thanks to the smile1 suggestion of Rory getting to know Eliza, and even though I didn't put it in the story as an actual scene...it's there, like when Eliza met Rory with Lane, they spent time together...I was pressed for time...it's 4:41 in the morning, and my mom's gonna be up in a while and I wanted to post it this morning...so...here it is...I decided to start skipping years, only doing important years, like kindergarden, first kiss, first date, things that will be close to giving Jess a heart attack...Though I'll try to stay lower than 10 for the next chapter or two or three. I really hope everyone enjoyed this...I liked writing this chapter.  
  
REVIEW PLEASE...I LOVE REVIEWS!! SO PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	5. 5

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza  
  
Author: Hadlee May  
  
Summary: See first chapter  
  
Disclaimer: I only own the plot and Eliza  
  
AN: Here's chapter 5. I took me a while to write this, and it lacks description, and length (compared to the last chapter), and it also took me about two days to get around to posting it, but it's it. I'm beginning to edge towards Rory/Logan, though I wont leave this alone for long, it's the first story I've written that has gotten good reviews. That, and I'm starting this new story, a Roswell/Gilmore Girls cross over, post the breaking of jess's heart for the last time episode. I haven't worked out the kinks, and I've spent a lot of my time on it. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Review if you must, even if it's a flame.

Chapter 5  
"But Dad!!" Eliza whined as she followed him out of their tiny two bedroom apartment. Jess looked at his five year old out of the corner of his eye, watching her attempts at letting her stay home progress. She'd gone from just simple asking, to temper tantrum, sweet talking, and now whining. Smiling, he wondered if he had been like this when he'd started Kindergarten. His smile grew wider. He was probably worse.  
  
"Eliza, you have to go to school." He feigned seriousness for a moment. The look on her face was damn near enough to make him cave. He concentrated on taking her hand and keeping his glance towards their destination, even though it was out of his line of sight. I She has to go to school, Jess. _She doesn't have a choice._ He reminded himself of the line Luke had used on him last night over the phone. The old man knew as well as he did that it was getting increasingly hard to deny Eliza what she wanted. She was spoiled rotten. He and Luke silently blamed Lorelai, who still, even with the two hours of separation, showered her continuously, with basically everything a girl could want.  
  
"But why, Daddy? I want to stay with you." Jess sighed.  
  
"Because, Eliza, if I had to be tortured with thirteen years of schooling, then so do you." He explained, leading her out of the apartment building and down the sidewalk. School was only two blocks away. "Besides, it's a law. You go to school or else I get arrested." Eliza thought this was funny and talked about it the entire two blocks towards the building of education.  
  
"I don't like it." She told him as they walked up the long walk way to the double doors.  
  
"Me neither, kid." He told her. At twenty five, the place (or any place like it) gave him the willies. He'd hated elementary school as a kid, always having to watch your back…and your lunch box. "Come on, I bet your teacher's going to be nice." He said with a smile.  
  
Eliza said nothing only following his lead, her grip on his hand tightening, and her other hand holding tightly to his arm, getting as close as possible to her father's body.  
  
Since the move to New York, Eliza hadn't been comfortable in her surroundings. Even though she'd been nearly four at the time. Unlike Stars Hollow, New York wasn't kind and gentle. In New York, it was a safety precaution to be inside before nine if you were under the age of eighteen, or if you weren't kin to the streets. In Stars Hollow, he'd been able to let Eliza run. He could leave her unattended in the diner and wouldn't have to worry about somebody kidnapping her, or hurting her.  
  
It was only in moments of having to leave her for five hours that he regretted their move to New York. At the moment, he would have given anything for the feeling he got when he knew she was safe.  
  
"Here it is." Jess spoke as the neared the classroom door, which was open, a young woman standing outside the door, greeting the kids as they walked in, having short conversations with the parents, who, like Jess, looked reluctant to let their children go. Even for less than half the day. "Come on, let's get this over with." He told her. Eliza pouted, burying her face into his jacket.  
  
"Hi." The teacher greeted with a large grin. "And who might you be?" She got down low, to look at Eliza who didn't acknowledge her speaking to her.  
  
'This is Eliza Mariano." Jess playfully shoved Eliza's face away from his jacket, only to be greeted with one of her famous Rory Gilmore look-a-like pouts. He almost caved, the always in the back of his head, _there's always home school_ . He shook his head. "I'm Jess."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Ms. Angela. I bet your sister is excited about her first day of school." Ms. Angel glanced at Eliza who shook her head defiantly.  
  
"Actually, Eliza's my daughter." He corrected.  
  
"I should have known, she looks like you." Angel covered herself quickly. Jess smirked.  
  
"I gotta go, Eliza, Mr. Kratz will be a head case if I'm too late." He kneeled down. Eliza whimpered. "I'll be back to pick you up at one, then we'll go the book store and you can help me shelve books, okay?" He reasoned, and she perked up at the mention of her father's place of work. She nodded quietly. "Good. Kiss." He told her and she happily obliged. Jess smiled. "I'll be back, kid." He stood up. She gave him one last hug before allowing the teacher to lead her into the classroom.  
  
Jess walked out of the school quietly, his hands in his pockets. Every once in a while, he would look back at the school and wish he could go back and get her already. She'd been all his since the day she'd been born, and with the exception of landing her on Lane or Lorelai and Luke occasionally, he'd never been without her.  
  
He wasn't sure that he was going to be able to handle the next thirteen years going like this. "Maybe I should look into home-schooling" He spoke aloud as he entered the book store, only two minutes late.  
  
"You're late." Mr. Kratz, gray hair being the only clue that the man was well over his sixties.  
  
"Eliza's first day of school." Jess explained. It wouldn't let him off the hook, but Mr. Kratz would understand enough to leave him, if only for the moment, alone. The old man chuckled.  
  
"There's always home school." Jess laughed at this.  
  
"I've been thinking home school all morning, Mr. Kratz."  
  
Five hours had gone by slowly, spent mostly by stocking shelves and dealing with customers he had no desire to deal with.  
  
But he felt relieved when Mr. Kratz let him leave to go pick up Eliza. "Be back in at least an hour." He shouted at Jess as he rushed out of the store.  
  
Eliza was waiting outside the classroom, her book bag on the floor beside her, leaning against the wall, a book in her hand. Jess smiled. "I told you I'd be back." He spoke. Eliza squealed, dropping her book and running to Jess, throwing her arms around her father.  
  
"How was school?" He asked as he gathered her stuff off the floor and led her out of the school, smiling as he listened to her tell him about the her first day of kindergarten.  
  
Later at night, while he was cooking dinner for the two of them, he talked casually of the day with Luke.  
  
"So you're done with your thoughts about home school?" Luke questioned from the toher end.  
  
"I doubt the thought will never be too far from my mind. I missed having her around."  
  
"You could always come back to Stars Hollow, you know. That'd give you time to home school her. The job at the diner is always open." It was Luke's attempt at bringing Jess back, even though he knew what his nephew's answer it would be.  
  
"I can't, Luke. You know that." And he did. "Listen, I gotta finish dinner, Eliza's got an early night, what with the second day of school tomorrow." Jess said. Luke bid farewell and Jess hung up. Eliza was still excitedly talking about school, and while smiling at all the things she enjoyed, Jess couldn't help but not be excited about it. It was going to be just as hard tomorrow as it had been today.  
  
AN2: Okay, that was it. Wanna tell me what you thought of it? Review! It's much appreciated. I got a question, though. What's the next big thing in a girls life (that's not far off from 5) that I can write about. I'm seriously considering a broken arm, but I can't think, for the life of me, when, where, how. J It's always nice to get some help. I don't have much time to think, since I'm a co-mod for a communitiy on live journal. (actorhush It's an icon contest community (using pics of actors and actresses) if anyone's interested. I'm happy about it. LoL. I'm trying to convince the mod (the real one, I'm only helping because of my vast free time) Yeah. Well, tell me what you think.  
  
Please REVIEW.!! : ) PLease, Please, Please!!!


	6. 6

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza 

Author: Hadlee May

Summary: See first chapter

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Thankyous:

Goldengirl736 - I like your suggestion, and there's a big chance I might use it, incorporated into something else I concoct in my free time (that is if I can hold off getting a new job to a later date) Thanks for the review!!

Aimie: That's a great idea. My intentional vision for this was to show the dynamics of a relationship between Jess and Eliza, and occasionally, I might forget, purposely, Rory. Thanks.

Smile1: Every father's worst nightmare: Their daughter's first boyfriend. LOL. All these ideas. I might just throw them into one and call it a chapter. Thanks for the support!

Jemma: That's another nightmare for a single father. Looks like it might end up being a partly Lorelai chapter.

PinkPrincess1: I think that'd be a good one, getting pushed off a swing. I might throw this one in this chapter along with another suggestion.

AN: I have had the roughest week possible. I mean, when does life become like a television show? In reality? Yeah, well, mine has become an episode of CSI, topped off with being interviewed by cops and detectives. Fortunately for everyone, I had nothing to do with it. They found some bodies in a car, shot to death, and wanted statements from the neighbors. Of course, my luck, the car had connections to my next door neighbor's house and I had to give like three statements. You should feel the pounding in your heart when a detective comes to your friend's house looking for you. Yeah. I should write a CSI story.

Anyways, about the story. I really liked the suggestions everyone gave me, and I know that I do want to give a few years of life in her young years. I do plan on using each and everyone of your suggestions in some way.   
Chapter Summary: Broken arms equals pampering and visits to Stars Hollow.

Chapter 6

Jess nodded his head to the beat of the music coming from the head phones as he shelved books, the sounds of The Wonders sailing through his ears. He wasn't quite sure he liked the band, but Lane had put it the song somewhere in between a few songs that he had actually liked. He looked at his watch for a spare second. It was close to noon and the place had magically cleared out at the end of everyone's lunch break, giving him some time to do what was needed to be done. The customers had left the place in shambles, leaving books lying carelessly on the shelves, stacks away from where they had originally been put in the first place.

He was startled when he felt a tap on the shoulder. It was Mr. Kratz. "Jess, phone call for you, sounds urgent." The old man spoke when the headphones were removed. Jess nodded, brushing past him and heading towards the check out desk.

"Jess Mariano." He answered casually, turning the volume down so that the caller would be unable to hear it through the microphone in the telephone.

"Hello, Mr. Mariano, this is Heather Dukas at the New York Central Hospital-"

"Is it Eliza?" Suddenly, he felt tightening in his chest, "is she alright?" he continued.

"She's fine," He didn't let the woman finish, hanging up the phone and putting his coat on.

"I gotta get down to the hospital, it's Eliza." He shouted to his boss before leaving the store in a rush.

---

"Hi, my daughter's here. Mariano." He spoke as he walked towards the information desk. The nurse looked at him annoyed.

"Daddy!!" He heard from the hallway. He spun around to see Eliza running down the hallway, her dark hair flowing behind her, her left arm encased in a pink cast. "Look, I got a pink cast. The doctor gave me a sucker and he said that people could draw on-"

Jess lifted her into his arms, relieved. Even though she was only a little broken, he thought, momentarily that he might have been near a heart attack when he had gotten the call.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, setting her down on the ground, running his hand across her face and through her hair, pushing back her chin length bangs behind her ears. Eliza grinned, smiling. Gently, he lifted her pink arm and touched it. "Does it hurt?" He asked. She nodded, then shrugged.

"She's going to be fine, Mr. Mariano." A man in a white lab coat walked up behind the pair, a smile on her face.

"She'll get the cast off in two months, I've given her a prescription for the pain." The doctor patted Eliza on the head affectionately before going into another room where another patient waited.

Jess stood up, shaking the doctor's hand and shaking it with a small grin. "Now, how exactly did this happen? And why pink?"

---

"By the time she gets through with marking on her cast, there's going to be no more pink left." Luke said as the two men watched Lorelai sign Eliza's cast.

"I'm sure Eliza wont care." Jess replied, leaning his back against the counter of the now empty diner. Luke chuckled. "She's using that thing as an excuse for everything. 'Daddy, can you do this, my arm wont allow me to do my homework..' even though she writes with the other hand."

"I'm sure you would have done the same." Luke shrugged.

"Probably." Jess agreed, then, "Uncle Luke, can you come turn this page for me?" Teasingly.

"I would have broken your other arm." Luke said sternly. Jess smiled, getting up and walking towards Eliza and Lorelai.

"Come on, kiddo, let's get you upstairs, it's past your bed time." He said.

"But Daddy, my arm hurts, I can't go to bed." She argued. Jess laughed a bit.

"It'll feel better once you lay down." She still fussed. "Kid, Grandma will keel over if you don't let her get some sleep."

"Not really." Lorelai spoke for herself, then smiled, "Hey, Jess, I have an idea." The woman had a sly grin on her face. Both Luke and Jess noticed and prepared themselves for what was about to come out of her mouth, "I think you should get Eliza a puppy, I bet that would take all the pain away." The words were worse than what Jess would have originally imagined.

"A puppy? Are you crazy?" Jess said, but Eliza was already jumping at the idea.

"Ooh, Daddy can I?" She gave him a puppy dog look and he was sold.

"Thanks, Lorelai." He commented dryly before walking Eliza up the stairs, his feet stomping angrily against the stairs.

"You're evil." Luke commented.

Lorelai smiled, "I know."

-End Chapter 6-

AN2: That was it, I'm not sure it was the best, but said excuse from the original author's note has distracted me a lot. Well,l that's it. Please Review.


	7. almost 7

Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza

Author: Hadlee May

Chapter Summary: Filler entry. Jess, Eliza, and Lorelai plot world domination. Luke watches on in horror.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Thank yous

Aimie: Thanks for the review, and the suggestion.

Smile1: Thanks for the support, and the review. Hope my story continues to be bearable.

Controversy-Queen: No suggestions will be rejected, though not all will be used, though, I'm sure that they might be twisted and reshaped until it fits. Thanks for the review. And keep the suggestions coming.

Mugglewulf: thanks. I want a new puppy and my mom wont let me have one…even though I'm eighteen, I still live home…So, I put my hope into my story. Glad you liked that.

AN: Don't think it's a joke when I mention world domination. Two of my fellow concession workers and I are plotting as we speak. I get Baghdad…That way I can say who's your baghdaddy? Just something funny to think about, I saw it someone's shirt the theatre once. Anyways, I thought this would be a funny subject to do for a filler chapter while I prepare the ultimate chapter that is has some form of conflict. I'm thinking a new girlfriend, you tell me what you think. Eliza is thirteen in this chapter. I also thought it would be a good way to put Lorelai in, and show how her relationship has changed with Jess. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 6.5

"No. I want Antarctica." Lorelai Gilmore argued with her thirteen year old daughter.

"That's not fair." Eliza quipped. "I called it first."

"Did not." Lorelai countered.

"Did too." Eliza returned

"No way." Lorelai spoke quickly.

"Yes way." Eliza laughed.

"What are we, two?" Jess asked, shaking his head amusement, "besides, what the hell are you gonna do with Antarctica, anyways?"

"Vast and secret military bases."

"Why would you need Antarctica for that, you have Russia." Jess argued.

"And Canada."

"She has Canada because no one else wanted it." Jess looked at his daughter.

"No, I think it was Mexico no body wanted." Eliza contradicted.

"Nasty piece of land." Lorelai teased.

"What are you three doing anyways?" Luke wondered over to the three, coffee pot in hand. He proceeded to pour her coffee, but stopped once she answered.

"Taking over the world." Lorelai answered innocently, her voice nonchalant.

"I should have known." He rolled his eyes walking slowly away from the three plotters.

"Hey, you marked Antarctica for yourself." Lorelai's eyes had followed the coffee pot, leaving just enough time for Eliza to mark a giant 'E' over the continent. Lorelai gave her grand daughter a wide "O" face, faux shock evident on her still young looking face.

"So? I'm younger. I still get what I want." Eliza grasped the marker in her hand, sure that Lorelai wouldn't attempt to take it from her. The older woman pouted and from beside her, Jess smirked.

It was an odd family that the Danes and the Mariano's made. The crazy young grandmother, the cynical young father, a smarter than her own good grand daughter, the barely there son of the grandmother, and the sometimes grumpy Uncle. But it was a family that they made. The Mariano's made it a point to spend at least two weekends in Stars Hollow, away form the city, and away from school work, and away from the job Jess had worked at for nearly ten seven years.

Even in crazy moments where they sat in the diner, pretending to plot world domination while helping Eliza learn all the major continents and countries, it was evident that the family meant something to all of them, despite the Danes having a whole entire family outside this close knit group.

"When's Will getting back from Hartford?" Eliza asked after moments of silence. Lorelai shrugged.

"He's spending the night with Rory, so, I don't know. She tends to keep him there as long as possible." The statement didn't go past Jess and Eliza who looked at each other for a moment. Eliza broke the gaze, smiling gleefully.

"Oh yah, I get Tonga." She spoke up.

"Ugh!! I wanted the place with the funny name…ooh, I call New Zealand." She raised her hand.

"Already called it." Jess spoke up pointing to the J that was marked over the islands.

"You two are unfair." Lorelai pouted once more, a smile playing on her face.

AN2: I know it's short, but it wasn't meant to be long, it's sort of just here to update you on what's going on. I thought it would be something funny. It might be a week and a half before I can get the actual chapter 7 out, and I'm relying highly on reviewers to help me out. I'm seriously thinking of a little scuttle I can put our favorite father daughter team through, and I'm thinking about involving Jess with a girl, the forester boys staying with Jess for a week, and a visit from Lily. Tell me what you think. I also can't put out of my mind, Lorelai answering the door when his girlfriend stops by to meet Lorelai. Hehe. Evil. Please Review. 


	8. 7

Like Jess, Like Eliza By: Hadlee May

AN: The Italian trip I mentioned in my Worth Something story…I upped it to a Italian/French trip, so that I could model it after the trip I took in the summer of 2004 (I went to France (Paris and Nice), and Italy (Asisi, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Vatican) and Monaco (where the palace is)…They might go to Monaco…there's not much to it.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy because I had to search through my house for journals, and photos, ect so I could remember the places I went . Got me thinking about all the blasted people I had to deal with. I'm gonna try to get some of my photos downloaded on my computer…maybe post them in my journal…anyways, I spent all night looking up the names of these places because my memory never goes when it's foreign names of old churches.

So…please enjoy!

Oh! And if you haven't read 'Children of Dune' then you might want to close your eyes, I have an end of the book spoiler.

Thank You,

Seekergirl17, controversy-queen, frida, anonymous reader, Smile 1 (You rock hard), Jemma (thanks for all the emails, I'm really getting into Eliza's mind, oh and the CSI thing that was happening by my house, it's going to be an unsolved case…no one's even a suspect right now…) , aimie, anonymous reader 2, and muse-of-the-fairies (William is at Rory's because he is visiting his older sister)

. 1 .

"Buy me nice gifts." Lorelai instructed the Mariano's as they headed towards their gate. Jess shook his head at his daughter's grandmother's command. He had no doubt that Lorelai would be eagerly awaiting their return, just for the gifts that he and Eliza would bring her back from their trip to Italy and France. Lorelai noticed Jess's look are stared at him hard. "I'm serious, Jess. No scarves that I could pick up in Mrs. Patty's closet. I'm talking something really expensive." She continued.

"Why don't I just buy you a tiny section of the country?" Jess teased. Lorelai looked pleased with the answer.

"That'll do." She said, patting him on the head, before moving onto Eliza. "Give your dad a hard time." She commanded.

Eliza giggled, "Don't worry, Lorelai, I plan on many hours of 'Are we there yet'." She snickered. Glancing at her father, she noticed he looked perplexed, almost regretful.

"Good girl." Lorelai grinned, pulling her into a tight hug.

"You two come home in one piece, alright?" Lorelai's eyes passed back and forth between the two of them.

"Promise, and if we can't help it, it'll be her jaw after she spends hours asking me if we're there yet." Jess grinned.

"Lukey, remind me to never take a road trip with Jess." Lorelai cuddled up to Luke who stood off to the side, William standing beside him.

"Huh." Luke let out, causing Lorelai to giggle.

"He'd probably throw you in the trunk, too." Jess said, walking past her to give Luke a brotherly hug. "Well, we better get going. Don't wanna miss the flight or anything." He stated, lifting his carry on bag higher up on his shoulder.

"That would definitely suck." Eliza spoke up.

"Have fun, you two." Luke waved as the Mariano's headed towards the growing line of travelers.

. 2 .

"I'm bored." Eliza muttered, slouching back in her seat. Jess peeked at his daughter out of the corner of his eye, smirking. He reached into his bag, eyes never leaving the pages of 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', and pulled out a book, handing it to her. "Children of Dune?" She asked, looking at him.

"It's your name sake." He stated nonchalantly.

"Why did you name me Ghanima again. I mean, she's sort of incestuous at the end of the book." She pointed out with a small smile.

"And there's the reason you don't have a twin brother named Leto." He chuckled lightly.

"Imagine the possibilities." She giggled.

"Change of conversation." Jess spoke quickly.

"Change of reading material." She handed the book back to him. Jess rolled his eyes, shoving his book mark between the pages, marking his spot and pushed the book down on the uncomfortable airline seat and leaned down to get eye level with his bag full of books.

"What about David Copperfield?" He asked. She shook her head. "What? I thought it was your favorite." He opened his mouth, slightly shocked.

"It is my favorite. But I just finished reading it last night." She informed.

"Oh. Um, how about the Bourne Identity?" He pulled another book out.

"Nope. Not too in the mood for a spy novel while I'm flying." She sighed. "It's kind fo like watching 'Final Destination', you know. That is definitely not a movie I would choose to watch on this flight." She smiled.

"You're picky today." He stated, shoving the Ludlum novel back into bag. "Here's a good one. 'Goodbye Atlantis… found it in a used book store about a month ago." He handed it to her. She studied the cover, then slowly opened the flap, skimming over the summary before grinning.

"This will do."

. 3 .

"This is the dumbest movie I have ever seen." Jess stated blandly as he looked at the tiny screen in the back of the seat in front of him.

"Better then what's on the other channel." Eliza replied.

"True. You aren't aloud to watch that, by the way." He said after a beat.

"Dad! I'm thirteen!" She whined quietly.

"Yes, you're thirteen. There's no need for you to be watching movies with those kind of scenes." He rolled his eyes. Eliza glared at her father, pulling a portable cd player out of her bag and pushing play, Metallica's 'Greatest Hits 3' playing loudly out of the headphones. Without asking permission, she grabbed her father's book from the seat where he had discarded it an hour ago and opened up to where he left off.

Jess silently thanked whoever was out there that she had ended up a Hemingway fan. He wasn't sure he would have been able to handle it if she'd been too much like her mom and enjoyed reading the long monologue's of Ayn Rand. Smiling slightly, he closed his eyes, letting his body ease into sleep.

. 4 .

He was awoken by a flight attendant gently shaking his shoulder. "Excuse me, we're preparing for landing, you and your daughter need to sit up and put your seat belts on." She announced. He nodded a thanks and turned to his daughter, who had, he guessed, dosed off not long after he had, resting her head comfortably on his shoulder, her free hand wrapping itself gently around left arm.

He shrugged her gently off her shoulder. She sat up, blinking her eyes several times in confusion before realizing where she was. "We there yet?" She asked sleepily. He shook his head.

"Preparing to land. Need to put your safety belt on." He informed. She nodded, her hands fumbling for the two ends of the belt. Jess, fully aware and awake did the same, then leaned his head against the seat, sighing.

Eliza was no awake, 'The Sun Also Rises' resting on her lap, one hand holding onto it tightly. "Have you been to Paris?" She asked quietly.

"Nope." He shook his head.

"Will it be fun?" She asked again.

"It should be. I mean, after all the money this trip cost, we better have the times of our young lives." He teased.

"Young?" She kidded. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not that old." He returned.

"Old enough." She grinned before leaning her head on his shoulder once more.

. 5 .

Finding their baggage hadn't been hard. Eliza had made sure both of them had extremely noticeable suit cases, hers being a neon green, his a neon blue. Jess had thought the idea had been stupid when she had chosen their baggage, but after the long customs process he'd gone through, he was glad for the easiness that came with their bright colors.

"Do we get to ride in a cab?" She asked. He nodded. "I read they drive really fast here. Don't use signals, cut in front of each other without warning…" Eliza slowed her speech when she noticed the perplexed look her father was giving her. "But then again, it was only in a book. Doesn't mean it's true." She saved quickly.

"Let's go." He grinned, grabbing the handle of his suitcase and pulling it behind him as they headed towards the exit doors.

. 6 .

"It's small." Jess stated, looking around their hotel room.

"It's perfect." Eliza corrected.

Sometimes, Jess couldn't believe she was thirteen. She had the maturity of a high school graduate…something she, no doubt, inherited from her mother, and despite the fact that he had raised her all thirteen years, he felt himself sometimes fooled.

"You gonna crash?" He asked. She nodded.

"I'm off to never never land." She replied falling on one of the beds. Eliza grinned feeling the soft mattress and fluffy pillow catch her fall. Despite the bed's hard looking exterior, it was almost more comfortable then the one she had at home.

. 7 .

"Huh. It looked bigger in the travelers guide." Jess commented as they stood side by side in the center of a crowd of avid tourists.

"It said underneath the picture that it was actually smaller then what normal people thought it was." Eliza rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but, I mean…it's the Mona Lisa. Didn't you ever picture it to be like…the entire wall in size?" Jess teased.

"Only in movies, daddy, only in movies." She grinned before walking away from him and into the next room.

Walking. It was something they'd been doing all day. Eliza had insisted that it was the only way to tour Paris. That, or riding on the Parisian subway. Eliza had also insisted that it was just like it was in New York, except the directions were in a foreign language. Waking up at seven in the morning, they'd come downstairs eaten the petty breakfast L'hotel du Voltaire provided and set out on their way. They had two days in Paris and Eliza was determined to see it all.

They'd started in the first district, visiting the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame, then moving across the city to take a long walk down the Champs-Elysées. They shortly ooed and ahhd at the Arc de Triomphe before finding themselves at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, wondering the isles of the classic section. Neither sat down and read but admired the first editions of some of the great works.

It'd been then that Eliza had said that she desperately wanted to see the Mulan Rouge. It was in the third district, which warrented several blocks of walking and a short train ride across town. They walked by, too a few photos of the famous French landmark before deciding it would be fun to walk the hundreds of steps up to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. After a few photos taken from the top of the steps, they'd opted to take a break before meandering down the steps. A quick lunch break in a café had been lunch before their wondering began again, visiting a few more famous landmarks before heading towards the Tour Eiffel.

The walking had continued, with them, for once, taking the elevators, and wondering around the platforms at each stop.

"I like it here." Eliza smiled. Jess looked over at her.

"Paris?" He asked.

"No, here. Where you can see the entire city." She said, gripping the railing and peering down. "I bet Lorelai would love this."

"She'd complain about the walking before she enjoyed it. Besides, I think she came her with Rory after she'd graduated." He'd said Rory's name quietly. Eliza nodded.

"Thinking of her makes me want coffee." Eliza giggled.

"Almost anything makes you want coffee. You've been hanging around Lorelai too much."

After climbing down, they'd found themselves at Musée du Louvre where Eliza had insisted they walk through room after room, looking for the Mona Lisa.

"Anyways," Jess spoke, following her out of the small room that housed the Mona Lisa and no other painting, "what do you want to do now?" He asked. She shrugged, looking at her watch.

"How about we head back to the hotel, eat, then go shopping?" She asked. He nodded.

By the time they'd found their way back to Voltaire it was nearing six o' clock and they'd found a nice spot to eat only a few feet from the front door of their hotel. McDonald's.

. 8 .

"Do you think Lorelai would like this?" Eliza asked holding up a bag of French Café coffee bean bag.

"She'll worship you forever." He smirked. "Hey, maybe I should get her some of that too." He laughed.

"Get her a cute mug." She advised and Jess nodded.

" Maybe we can find some French flannel for Luke." Jess snickered, picking up a coffee mug with the Tour Eiffel embossed on one side, the Mona Lisa on the other.

. 9 .

The two spent the next few days finding their way to the French/Italian border, spending a day in the relaxing city of Nice before hopping a bus that went from city to city in Italy, the last stop being Rome.

"I can't believe we've only got one day in this city." Eliza said as they walked side by side down the busy sidewalk.

"It's too big. We'll have to come back one day." He smiled.

"An entire week, just for Rome." She nodded.

"Promise." He agreed.

"I still can't believe you found a flannel shirt in France." She cracked after a moment.

"I still can't believe you're going on about that." He cracked back.

. 10 .

"Ugh. Home." Jess groaned tiredly as they stepped off the airplane, swinging his carry on over his shoulder.

"You think they'll notice if we stow away on the plane?" She asked.

"Probably." He said leading her towards customs.

. 10 .

Eliza giggled as Luke analyzed the gift Jess had found for him in France. "You got me a flannel shirt?" He asked, looking up at Jess.

"Oh, honey, it's not just flannel. It's French flannel." Lorelai smiled, causing Eliza to giggle more. Jess smiled at this. It was rare Eliza let herself be a kid. Sure she'd grown up a lot more sheltered then he had, but New York was a hard city to grow up in. Sometimes she was just too mature for her own good. Around Lorelai. She was definitely more her age.

"Ugh. Thanks."

"I'm glad you two had fun." Lorelai smiled, thanking them both with a hug for the gifts she had been given, and also glad to have them back safely.

AN 2: Well that was it. After several months of no update, I decided to go all out. My original plan had been to take them throughout the places I went, but then, after a night of sleeping on it four pages in, I decided that it would take three chapters to give a good story about that, so I chose my two favorite cities, Rome and Paris.

Most of the landmarks are in French…only because my French teacher demanded we respect these places by calling them what the French call them.

Please Review! I worked so hard on this…and I'm planning on writing more, so…

I just need a fresh no idea. I'm thinking something involving Rory, and Jess, and maybe Tristan Dugray and his son, who just happens to be good friends with Eliza…drop me a line and tell me what you think.  
-Hadlee 


	9. Chapter 8

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Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza Author: Hadlee May Spoilers: Unless you didn't watch seasons, 1 - 4, then, no.  
Summary: A 'prequel' to 'Worth Something', 16 years of Jess raising his daughter all by himself in less then 16 chapters.  
Disclaimer: Unless I woke up this morning Jewish and with the name, Amy Sherman-Palidino, then I don't own Gilmore Girls…I do though own Eliza, since I created her.  
AN: Wow, it's been forever, yeah? Sorry. I got distracted…attacked my a nasty case of writer's block…and it seems the only thing I've been able to manage is one shots, and the only one I wrote was on firefly, so, yeah. : ). This is the last chapter. I figured it was best to tie it up since I blank so much. Truthfully, I would have shot me had I been the reader and just stopped updating, since I get aggravated when people do it, so shame on me. Here it is. Have fun. Enjoy. Please review.

/ Final Chapter /

To tell you the truth, Jess quite enjoyed birthdays. Not so much his, but Eliza's. Celebrating Eliza's birthday meant that he got to wake her up early and bug her the entire day, since it was usually the only day that she would permit him to keep her out of school. This birthday, of course, wasn't much different save for the fact that he wouldn't be alone in his bothering and celebrating this year. For Eliza's sixteenth birthday, they were both heading to Stars Hollow where he would join Eliza with Lorelai in an all day shopping spree at the local Hartford mall.

And to be straight, Jess hated shopping. He found no solace in spending the entire day whipping out his credit card and buying things that he would find no use for a few months down the road. And he'd hoped he'd raised Eliza in the same belief. No. He was confident he had, but who was going to deny an entire day of buying things one wouldn't need two months down the road when they weren't the ones spending the money.

Stirring from his sleep, Jess quickly found himself one of the living. Brown eyes opened and were greeted with the plain white ceilings of his New York City apartment. Despite the time (5:00 am) he easily climbed out of bed, stretched, and wondered into the living room where he was surprised to see Eliza already up, her eyes glued to the television.

"They still play re-runs of Buffy?" He asked, shocked.

"They have been for the past two years, Dad." She stated, not looking at him, but taking a sip of the bottle of coke that had been resting between her legs.

"Am I seeing things?" Jess asked, plopping on the couch next to her. "I've missed two years of Buffy and find out that it's been playing from my daughter who is, surprisingly, wide awake on her sixteenth birthday."

"Well, you only turn sixteen once." She smirked.

"Huh." Jess replied…shaking his head and reaching for Eliza's bottle of coke. She obediently slapped his hand away. "Huh." He muttered again.

"Anyway, Lorelai woke me up at four this morning." Eliza replied, "Why she was up that early, don't ask me…but she's all jumpy and excited."

"Scary." Jess said, for a moment picturing Lorelai Gilmore wide awake, jumpy and excited at four o'clock in the morning. "I bet she's driving Luke crazy…especially after she's downed six or seven cups of coffee." Jess sniggered.

"He's probably sent her home and banned her from entering the diner until she's finished with the shopping." Eliza giggled.

"So, you ready to get going, or do you want to finish watching Buffy?" Jess stood up meandering into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of coke from the fridge.

"Why should I finish, you've got all seven seasons, plus to straight to video movies somewhere in this apartment, besides, I can always tune in after we get back." She stood up, setting her coke down and following Jess into the kitchen.

"Don't tell me they have evening showings, too." Jess laughed, "why didn't you inform me?" He was playfully astonished.

"And what, support your love for Willow Rosenberg, I think not." She teased. "I'm ready when you are." She told him.

The ride to Stars Hollow was noisy. Eliza had insisted upon a My Chemical Romance reunion album to be played. When Jess had refused, she'd forcefully reminded him of who's day it was and he'd relented. He'd also frowned the two hours it took to get to Stars Hollow, wishing he could cover his ears and wondering where he had gone wrong in teaching Eliza the proper way to choose music.

But who was he to force her to listen to the music he loved…especially when his mother had tried to, and he distinctly remembered hating that.

"You know what's the greatest thing about Stars Hollow?" She asked as the drove into town, she looked over at Jess before continuing. "It always stays the same. No matter what scandal has recently been had, or what holiday, or festival it's had, it's always the same."

"Hell on Earth, I agree." Jess replied. Eliza smiled.

2.

Shopping had been worse then he could ever had assumed. Lorelai had dragged both him and Eliza from store to store, her mouth going a mile a minute and Jess found that all he could do was complain. A complaint would be matched with a snarl from Lorelai and a curt, 'You can just leave if you're going to complain', to which Jess would shut up for a short span of time and continue following.

Of course, Eliza had been on her best behavior, only rolling her eyes when she was once again taken into another shoe shop.

3.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to another shop. The mall is famous for it's numerous amounts of shoe shops." Lorelai pouted as Jess, thankful, sat behind the wheel of Lorelai's jeep, watching the road carefully.

"Yeah. I'm sure. I think I have enough shoes to last me through graduation." She said, smiling at her grandmother in a thankful way. Lorelai's pout got bigger, but she didn't say anything.

"I'm not sure we'll have enough closet room." Jess teased, only earning yet another glare from Lorelai.

4.

"Dad! I'm on the phone!" Eliza groaned out as her father once again attempted to say something. "James, hold on, I have to go push my father down the stairs." Eliza said setting the phone down on the couch and gently pushing her father towards the door.

"What is the point of talking to your little boyfriend, he's coming to your party." Jess laughed.

"So, I'm preparing him for the madness, now go!" She smirked at him before pushing him out the door and closing it behind him.

Walking back to the couch she picked up the phone and smiled, "Back. My dad can be such a dork sometimes." She laughed as she sat down and went back to talking about the tiny town in which he and his father were about to embark on in a matter of an hour.

5.

"So, sixteen, eh?" Luke asked as he took a seat next to his great niece who was sitting on one of the stools, observing the going ons.

"Yeah. It's no big deal, just another year." She smiled.

"No big deal? Are you kidding me? That's sixteen years you managed to survive with your dad as your guardian. And hey, you're not half bad. Less sarcastic, and easy to manage then your dad, so…that's a reason to celebrate."

"Dad wasn't that bad was he?"

"Hell on Earth. I promised myself to never raise a teenage boy again."

"Noble plan. Too bad it didn't work." She teased. Luke rolled his eyes. "So. What did you think about James?" She asked, looking down at her lap.

"He's great. As long as he keeps his hands to himself." Luke grunted out.

"Ugh. Uncle Luke. We're just friends."

"Just friends my ass." Luke chuckled out, "hey, I think your dad's looking for you. Must be time to go."

"Yeah. Thanks for this, Uncle Luke." She gave him a tight hug before joining her father in the center of the diner.

"You ready, kiddo? I believe you and James have a pop quiz tomorrow or something."

James, who stood next to his father, a much older Tristan DuGray, groaned, rolling his eyes. "I certainly hope not." The foursome headed out of the diner and said their goodbyes before going to their respective rides.

6.

"Buffy again?" Jess asked plopping down next to his daughter, a bowl of cereal in his hands.

"I told you it's on twice a day. It's classic." Eliza teased.

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah."

"Well hey, I'm gonna go to bed, I got school tomorrow, after all." She smiled.

"You sure you can't take tomorrow off, too? You might to sleep off Lorelai's shopping excursion. I think I might need a week." Jess yawned.

"Nah. That's fine. Night Dad." She headed towards her room.

"Night, Eliza, happy birthday."

"Thanks Dad. I love you." She stopped suddenly and walked back to him, wrapping her arms around him, trying her best not to spill his snack.

"I love you, too Dad." She whispered, kissing his cheek before heading back to her room.

Outside on the couch, Jess smiled.

AN: AHAHA! FINISHED! Sorry it took so long to get out, I've been all crazy and unable to finish due to a blockage of brain power. It's fine. Sorry if it wasn't what anyone wanted. I've taken up a bad habbit of skipping scenes. I don't like detail and I've been so rushed about everything recently. But, it's fine. I sort of like the mysterious, and the lacking. It gives people a way to think about what could have happened in-between scenes. At least I think.

Anyways, thanks for reading. Please Review!  
-Hadlee May 


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